Whistleblower legal row ‘political dynamite’, said O’Sullivan lawyer

Nóirín O’Sullivan is accused of trying to discredit a garda officer after claims of poor policingLEAH FARRELL/ROLLINGNEWS

A dispute that broke out after lawyers for Nóirín O’Sullivan attempted to question the motives of a garda whistleblower was described as “political dynamite” by a solicitor acting for the former garda commissioner.

The Disclosures Tribunal heard yesterday that Ann Marie Ryan, of the Chief State Solicitor’s Office, made the comment in her notes after questions over the motivation and credibility of Sergeant Maurice McCabe were raised at a private hearing of the O’Higgins Commission in 2015. The commission was set up to examine allegations of poor policing in the Cavan-Monaghan division made by Sergeant McCabe.

The tribunal is investigating claims that senior gardaí orchestrated a smear campaign against the whistleblower using allegations of sexual assault on a child. He was exonerated by the director…